Closed loop control of aircraft control surfaces

Abstract

The invention provides closed loop control of aircraft control surfaces. Closed loop control method for control surfaces includes measuring a flight metric of an aircraft during flight and calculating, using a processor, a deflection of a control surface of the aircraft based on the flight metric. The disclosed method also includes adjusting the deflection to an effective deflection level based on the calculated deflection to reduce a drag coefficient of the aircraft.

Description

technical field [0001] The present invention relates generally to aircraft, and more particularly to closed loop control of aircraft control surfaces. Background technique [0002] Some aircraft employ variable surface methods to adjust the shape of an airfoil such as the trailing edge of an aircraft wing or other control surface. Adjusting the shape of the airfoil allows adjustment of lift characteristics during takeoff. Additionally, the position (eg, deflection, angle, etc.) of the airfoil may affect drag during cruise speeds. Systems that adjust airfoils during cruise to reduce drag typically rely on tabular tables of reference aircraft data (eg, table lookups) to adjust airfoils during flight. However, such tables generally fail to take into account factors that affect the instantaneous performance of the aircraft, eg, aircraft-to-aircraft variability, system variations, random disturbances, etc. Contents of the invention [0003] An example method includes measuri...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

However, such tables usually fail to take into account factors affecting the instantaneous performance of the aircraft, e.g., aircraft-to-aircraft variability, system variations, random disturbances, etc.

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